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IS LABOR IN AVET OR
WALKER OF STATE
On the wet and dry question -where
does organized labor stand? What
will the trade unions ..do for or
against the forward drive of the
Drys aiming at voting out saloons
from Chicago in 1918, following the
Billy Sunday revival in 1917?
The answer is that the labor move
ment is, first of all, for the living
wage, the 8-hour day, the right of
labor to organize. And until the trade
unions get these rights they will not
hook up with either state-wide Wet
or Dry organization.
Where the labor movement stands
on the booze question politically is
stated by Pres. John H. Walker of
the" Illinois Federation of Labor in
his annual report for 1916 this way:
"The attitude of the labor move
ment in the state of Illinois on this
question is that where the Wet can
didates are in opposition to the labor
movement, the labor movement will
fight them. Where 4he Dry candi
dates are in opposition to the labor
movement, the labor movement will
fight them.
"Where there is a contest, with one
favorable to the labor movement and
the other unfavorable, the labor
movement will favor whatever side
has candidates friendly to the labor
movement v and the things that it
stand for, and they will fight against
the candidates that are in opposition
to them.
"Where the candidates are all fa
vorable, then the latior movement
will take a neutral position.
" "Where the Wet and Dry candi
dates are both opposed to labor we
will put other candidates friendly to
labor in the field and fight for them
and against both Wets and Drys."
Walker tells why the labor move
ment refuses to hook up either with
Wets or Drys. He points to the Drys
trying to defeat State Senators Can
aday and Cleary and Representatives
Wm, P. Holloday, George P. Wilson
DRY POLITICS? PRES.
FEDERATION TELLS
and W. T. 'Morris, in situations where
enemies of labor were joined with
the Drys to beat a man who had vot
ed for all proposed labor legislation
at Springfield.
"I might go on ad infinitum citing
where the Wets on one side and Drys
on the other have deliberately op
posed the friends of common human
ity and the labor movement and vot
ed and worked to nominate and elect
the enemies of the labor movement
"My own positive convictions are
that the controlling interests In both
the Dry movdment and the liquor
traffic are opposed to the legislation
that is being sought by the workers
of the state of Illinois, through the
trade union movement, and that they
are opposed to the labor movement
Itself.
"Once this thing is thoroughly un
derstood by the workers In our state
they will follow the example of both
Wet interests and Dry organizations.
They will fight for the things near
est to them, regardless of Wets or
Drys.
"Every one will agree it is more
important a man or woman should
have the right to a decent job, de
cent wages, conditions of employ
ment.and a decent home than that
they have or have not the opportu
nity to get intoxicants. We should
be governed wholly in the course we
pursue toward a candidate of either
side by how it will affect the welfare
of the working class."
Petrograd. Russian forces, mount
ed and foot, are engaged with enemy
two miles west of Czernavoda. Vic-,-tor
will gain possession of bridge
head, which is of great strategic im
portance. After sharp fighting Rus
sians occupied Dunareav.
Dallas, Tex. Mrs. Frank C. Oden
heimer, Washington, re-elected pres
ident general of United Daughters ojj
Confederacy,